Ventura Come and Gone: 101 Drive-in

The beginnings of the “drive-in”

The first Drive-In Theater was as early as 1910, but the first patented drive-in opened in 1933 in New Jersey. Over the years, drive-ins popped up all across the us. In 1948, on “the corner of the 118 and the 101" on East End farmland, the 101 Drive-In opened.

Let’s go to the Drive-in

Admission was 60 cents for adults and 15 cents for kids. The 12-acre parking lot held up to 800 cars. Restrooms, a refreshment stand, and, to accommodate mothers,  ”a bottle warmer will be made available.”

The theater was a hit, and by 1969, the Drive-In expanded to 3 screens, and a new snack bar was built. Starting in 1968, the swap meet was held here year-round every Sunday.

And then came the 1980s - The development of the VCR made it more appealing to stay at home and watch movies. The flame slowly flickered out on the romance with the drive-in theater.

One by one, Drive-In theaters shut down, usually to make way for shopping centers or houses. Ventura 101 Drive-In Theater closed in 1998 and was demolished in 2001.

The shopping center that replaced the 101 Drive-In in Ventura, on Telephone Road, is known as the Ventura Gateway Shopping Center, where Barnes & Noble, Old Navy, and Michaels Crafts are located.